Brecksville, OH (April 1, 2018) – MedData, a MEDNAX (NYSE: MD) company and a leading provider of technology-enabled management services for hospitals and health systems, today unveiled a new area dedicated to extreme patient experience training at its Patient Services Center – and people are literally jumping through hoops to better understand patients’ concerns.

“I’ve always thought I had a really strong understanding of what patients are dealing with. But now? I get things on a totally different level – and I have the rug burns to prove it,” says Les Ismore, revenue cycle director at St. Bezos Hospital and recent training program graduate.

MedData’s over 100,000-square-foot facility in Grand Rapids, Mich., houses call center operations where hundreds of Patient Services Representatives assist people with their medical billing needs and other healthcare financial issues. MedData representatives focus on treating every patient with the dignity and respect they deserve and this means considering the patient’s perspective in order to help them navigate the often complex financial journey.

Unfortunately, it’s easy for healthcare organizations to forget that the patient experience doesn’t end when the patient leaves the hospital.

That’s why MedData developed a cutting-edge training program for healthcare providers that takes the patient-focused philosophy to another – much more physical – level. Through their own physical anguish, training participants gain a stronger appreciation for what today’s patient must endure when attempting to pay their medical bills.

“Look, this new training is pretty rough. But so is the fact that out-of-pocket healthcare costs are through the roof these days,” says Associate Vice President of Patient Pay Operations Brooke Colegrove, citing a recent study by TransUnion Healthcare. “In order to truly understand what patients are going through, hospital administrators and financial executives need to feel their pain.”

The unique training occurs in a remodeled section of the facility that more closely resembles a gritty fitness bootcamp gymnasium than a stylishly modern office building. Down a long corridor and inside a door ominously labeled “None But The Brave” you’ll find a rugged, indoor obstacle course. There’s a series of large hoops mounted on dollar sign-shaped stands of varying heights, towering stacks of paperwork strategically arranged to create a small maze, a rope climbing net made of telephone cords, and several other challenges to overcome before reaching the finish.

“You think jumping through these hoops is hard? Try figuring out how and when to pay the six different bills you received for your knee replacement surgery. Trust me, I know,” says Colegrove, purposefully patting her right leg.

A bit farther down that same corridor is another door. This one’s labeled “The MedData Solution.” Once inside, trainees are immediately greeted by a MedData representative. Then together they navigate a similar but much less rigorous set of obstacles. The MedData representative walks step-by-step with them along their financial path, consolidates their bills into one, easy-to-understand statement, and helps them find the payment option that works best for their budget. Then they share a celebratory beverage at the cold-pressed juice bar at the finish.

The training reflects the stark contrast between standard methods of patient financial care and innovative approaches like MedData’s.

Traditionally, many providers’ financial processes are built from the vendor perspective, and patients can quickly become disconnected – providing the same information over and over again to multiple vendors or even making payments when they shouldn’t. This approach can be extremely aggravating.

However, unlike other vendors, MedData focuses on educating patients and helping resolve any issues with or questions about their insurance simply, quickly, and completely. That could mean taking payment in full, setting up a payment arrangement, or calling an insurance company together to help walk the patient through what’s taken place.

About MedData

MedData, a MEDNAX (NYSE: MD) company, is a leading provider of technology-enabled management services for hospitals and health systems that serve the entire patient financial lifecycle from pre-visit through post-discharge while improving the patient experience and helping them engage better with their providers. For four decades, the company has been providing innovative solutions to the medical community and serving hundreds of millions of patients across numerous medical specialties. MedData currently serves more than 10,000 physicians at a growing network of 3,000+ facilities nationwide from its headquarters in Brecksville, Ohio, and more than 20 regional offices across the U.S. To learn more about MedData’s patient-focused solutions platform, please visit the MedData website.

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